Edward Barham

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Edward specialises in Police Law, Licencing, and Professional Discipline.

Prior to joining 5 Essex Chambers, Ed was in-house counsel for a large regional Police Force from 2022-2025, where he worked in the operational law team, which involved him providing advice and training, and regularly appearing in courts on behalf of the Chief Constable in a wide range of civil applications. Full details are in the tabs below.

Ed’s unconventional route to the Bar began with studying Theology at Mansfield College, Oxford, followed by an 18-year career in the Royal Navy. For his first 11 years in the Service, Ed flew attack helicopters around the world in counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, counter-piracy, and search-and-rescue operations. Ed completed his Open University Law Degree alongside his flying duties between 2009-2014 and the Royal Navy selected him for legal training in 2015, after which he spent the next two years completing the BPTC and then pupillage at 2 Bedford Row (now 2BR), a leading criminal set. Ed then served in legal postings in the Royal Navy from 2017-2022 where he defended Naval personnel in the Court Martial and advised senior naval commanders in the Royal Navy and N.A.T.O. on a range of issues including: the use of force, law of armed conflict, service investigations, and international maritime law.

Expertise

Ed has extensive experience of advising on and/or advocating in cases before the Magistrates’ Court in civil applications, the Crown Court in appeals against Magistrates’ Court decisions, and the County Courts in relation to Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions:

Behaviour Orders:
- Sexual Risk Orders;
- Sexual Harm Prevention Orders;
- Review of indefinite notification requirements;
- Domestic Violence Protection Orders;
- Stalking Protection Orders;
- Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders; and
- Violent Offender Orders.
Anti-Social Behaviour:
- Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions (applications and breaches);
- Closure orders (both under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and the Sexual Offences Act 2003);
- Appeals against Community Protection Notices;
- Public Space Protection Orders;
- Dispersal Orders.
Licensing:
- Appeals against the revocation or refusal of firearm and shotgun certificates;
- Applications in the licensing sub-committee, and appeals under the Licensing Act 2003.
Family Court:
- disclosure of material out of Family proceedings;
- Resisting orders for disclosure from police into Family proceedings.
Warrants and bail:
- Application for s9 warrants; and
- Resisting applications to vary Police bail;
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002:
- Applications under Part V of the act for civil forfeiture of cash, frozen funds, listed assets, and cryptoassets.
Miscellaneous Orders:
- Police Property Act 1897; and
- Dangerous Dogs Orders.

Ed’s background in the military and police makes him well placed to understand operational needs of police officers and the ability to rapidly assess and balance the risk of different legal solutions to operational issues. Ed is always happy to provide early advice in all of the above matters and is also used to providing training to officers on the availability of civil orders and how to properly prepare cases to ensure the greatest chance of success in court.

Ed has been instructed in appeals against the refusal or revocation of firearm and shot gun certificates in the Crown Court.

Ed has advised and appeared for the police in hearings under the Licensing Act 2003, including premises licence reviews and appeals against decisions of the Licensing Authority.

Ed has appeared on behalf of the Appropriate Authority in police misconduct hearings and accelerated misconduct hearings.

Ed also has experience of advising members of the Armed Forces in relation to Major Administrative Action (CDT failures, administrative discharge), as well as defending them in prosecutions for criminal or service offences in the Court Martial.